Park Ridge resident files complaint over airplane noise group

January 21, 2014|By Jon Davis | Special to the Tribune

A Park Ridge resident has filed a complaint with the city of Park Ridge saying an alderman should stop representing the anti-airplane-noise group Fair Allocation in Runways and be barred from attending its meetings outside Park Ridge.

"I don't understand why they're supporting another community and not our community," said Spanos, founder of the Park Ridge-based anti-noise group Citizens Against Plane Pollution (CAPP), on Tuesday.

Spanos said he was "not aware of any ethic violations" but said he filed the complaint to find out whether there were any, adding that "if there aren't, I would be the first one to come forward and apologize."

City Attorney Everette "Buzz" Hill announced the complaint Monday during the City Council's meeting.

Mazzuca said that night that he had not seen the complaint, but added that his association with FAiR and speaking at its meetings are protected by the U.S. Constitution.

"I don't see anything unethical about any of it," Mazzuca said on Tuesday. "All of it is protected under the First Amendment. I don't understand how any of that would be out of bounds."

In his complaint, Spanos said Mazzuca and Argionis attended a recent FAiR meeting in Chicago where Mazzuca "spoke up and gave this group advice in how to go about their objectives."

He said Argionis also helped FAiR find meeting space in Park Ridge.

On Tuesday, Spanos said that because FAiR scheduled a meeting on Jan. 25 at the Summit of Uptown, he had to cancel CAPP's Feb. 24 meeting at the Park Ridge Public Library "because they're too close to each other."

Spanos said his group is well-established and FAiR is new on the scene, adding "that's like parking a brand new Chevy right next to an old jalopy."

Mazzuca on Tuesday sent copies of email correspondence between him and Spanos to Hill, and also released them to the Tribune.

In his email to Hill, Mazzuca said he is a FAiR member and works with it because its objectives "are well-aligned with the interests of Park Ridge residents."

FAiR meetings are open to the public "and during those meetings, I will also chime in with comments from time to time," Mazzuca wrote.

"Though the complainant may disagree, I believe I am well within my rights as an individual to attend any public meeting I choose, regardless of where it is held. And I believe I am also well within my rights as an individual to express my opinions and observations in such a forum," he wrote.

In Jan. 14 emails to Hill, Spanos said Mazzuca and Argionis – who also sits on the city's planning and zoning commission – have conflicts of interest being FAiR members because Mayor David Schmidt tried and failed to secure Chicago's support for Park Ridge's airport noise mitigation efforts.

City code requires an "independent reviewer" be hired to investigate the allegations.

"We will investigate it promptly and look to get a response back in a timely manner," City Manager Shawn Hamilton said Tuesday.